This invention relates generally to memories.
A ferroelectric polymer memory may be used to store data. Data may be stored in layers within the memory. The higher the number of layers, the higher the capacity of the memory. Each of the polymer layers includes polymer chains with dipole moments. Data may be stored by changing the polarization of the polymer between metal lines. No transistors may be needed for storage.
Ferroelectric polymer memories are non-volatile memories with sufficiently fast read and write speeds. For example, microsecond initial reads may be possible with write speeds comparable to those with flash memories.
Conventionally, polymer memories are formed by a layer of polymer between upper and lower parallel electrodes. Thus, successive vertically displaced sets of horizontal metal lines may be utilized to define a polymer memory cell between upper and lower lines.
The existing architecture for ferroelectric polymer memories leads to a relatively limited density. That is, the number of bits of information that can be stored within a given area is somewhat limited. Of course, the number of layers may be extended upwardly, but the more layers, the greater the overall size of the resulting structure.
Thus, it would be desirable to have alternate ways of configuring parallel electrode memories.